What happens when you give time your "yes"
Last week while running on the treadmill the instructor told us to get in our first jog and I found myself pressing the button to get to 5.3. I immediately smiled because I realized that I was now warming up at the pace that less than one year ago challenged me.
Last summer I started a 5k training program with Peloton. Early on we were instructed to choose our 5k pace and I chose 5.3 thinking it was enough to challenge me but it also felt doable to run for 3.1 miles straight.
Fast forward to the end of the program and I could not hold a 5.3 pace the entire run. Instead of speaking or thinking negatively, I celebrated how far I had come and I kept running, kept training, kept going.
I had forgotten about that set pace and eventually ran multiple 5K’s surpassing the 5.3 pace. But this week when the pace that once was a challenge became my warmup I smiled and wanted to share the lesson behind it that applies far beyond running. \
So this is what I say to you.
Give it time. When you give time your yes and allow time to give you time, good things will grow. Don’t hold a tight grip on metrics and stats and numbers (even when they’re very important like for health or financial reasons you can work toward what you need without clinging so tightly to them). Go back to the why—what am I doing this for?
For me and running, it’s (1) something that I do for me, (2) to challenge myself, and (3) have fun along the way. My primary running goals have nothing to do with pace, metrics, or the like. Yes, sometimes I keep track of them so that I can see my progress and also learn what my body is doing, but I also don’t make them the highlight or focus.
What is it that if you gave it more time and your “yes” to keep going, you could see immense progress and growth in the days, weeks, months, or years to come?
That 5.3 slipped my mind until I found myself pressing it and remembering how it once challenged me and now it ushers me in gently into a warmup before a run. I am grateful for 5.3 both when it was the challenge and now when it is a “hello” before running.
This is your encouragement to give time your “yes” and it will give you it’s yes right back! I’m celebrating you!